In this series of three totems Lore explores the layered relationships between humans and animals through touch, memory and identity. Inspired by the act of stacking, assembling and the stringing of beads into a necklace, where each element forms part of a larger whole, the totems invite viewers to walk around, caress and connect with the textures of different animal hides. Each totem tells a distinct story, highlighting how we define, use and remember animals.

Totem I – The Echo of Consumption: Constructed from the hide of a typical meat and milk cow, an animal often reduced to a mere number, this totem transforms anonymity into a tribute, honoring the individuality of a life shaped by consumption.

Totem II – The Trophy: Covered in deer hide, this totem reflects on the tradition of the hunting trophy. Taken from a deer culled in European forests, it questions humanity’s control over nature and the uneasy balance between preservation and domination.

Totem III – The Companion: This final totem carries the hide of Othello, a horse cherished by a Belgian family. When Othello passed away, his hide was tanned as a keepsake. Years later, when the family no longer wished to keep it, they entrusted it to me, allowing the memory of their companion to live on in a new form. Unlike the cow or the deer, the horse, often seen as a pet and a partner, embodies the intimate bond between human and animal.

Together, these totems form a layered dialogue of human-animal connection. Each fragment a story, each stack a reflection of how we value, categorize and remember the lives that touch ours, bridging the spaces between object, symbol and individual.